St. Clair County sues ESL over illegal dumping

St. Clair County State's Attorney Robert Haida wants the city of East St. Louis to stop dumping garbage illegally.

According to a lawsuit filed July 9, the county health department discovered approximately 600 cubic yards of waste on April 10 at city-owned property between North 61st Street and North 63rd Street, along Dickman Place, off of Summit Avenue.

The refuse consisted of construction and demolition debris, shingles, garbage, plastics, barrels, landscape waste and old tires, the suit claims.

Through its own inspection on June 22, an Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) worker observed a city dump truck unload a two-ton load of shingles, bricks, tar paper, landscape waste and lumber at the site.

The suit seeks to enjoin the city from any further environmental violations and to remove all debris and waste and properly dispose of it at a permitted landfill.

It also seeks penalties of up to $50,000 per violation and a $10,000 fine per day until the site is cleaned.

"The defendant has neither applied for, nor received a permit of any kind from IEPA," the complaint states. "The Defendant has been given ample time by the Health Department to remedy this open dumping."

The suit claims the dumpsite results in the proliferation of disease vectors -- such as rats, mice, birds or other animals capable of carrying disease-producing organisms to a human or animal host.